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Tag: Pakistan Army

  • President Alvi ‘warns’ Imran Khan about not talking against new army chief

    President Alvi ‘warns’ Imran Khan about not talking against new army chief

    President Dr Arif Alvi has allegedly strictly warned Imran Khan, Chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to stop his party leaders and social media team from criticising the Pakistan military and the new Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir, reports Journalist Ansar Abbasi for Jang.

    Sharing a screenshot of a WhatsApp message sent to party leadership and social media team, a PTI source said that the president also told Khan that for the new military establishment, the honour of the institution is like a red line, which must not be crossed.

    It has been revealed in the story that Imran Khan’s message was forwarded to the PTI Parliamentary Party’s WhatsApp group. In the message, Khan directed its social media team not to criticise the new army chief and made it clear that the instructions have to be followed very strictly. The person who shared this message on the group said that Khan’s directive should be followed by everyone.

    Similarly, in another group of party leaders and social media managers, Khan wrote, “Please ensure that there is no criticism of the new chief and the army.”

    When PTI leader and former federal minister Fawad Chaudhary was asked by the news outlet about Alvi’s message, he said that both the President and Imran Khan have made it clear that there will be no attack against the army and COAS Munir.

    He hoped that the new army chief would come up with new policies and hoped that he would not repeat the alleged anti-PTI policies of former COAS, General (r) Bajwa.

    It is pertinent to mention that Khan has directly targeted the former army chief multiple times for being “neutral”. He has also targeted others within the military, including senior officers of the Inter-Services Intelligence.

  • Pakistan Army’s change of command ceremony to be held at GHQ on Tuesday

    Pakistan Army’s change of command ceremony to be held at GHQ on Tuesday

    Pakistan Army’s change of command ceremony will be held tomorrow (Tuesday), military’s media-wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) confirmed on Monday, marking the time-honoured tradition that symbolises the seamless transition of military leadership.

    Outgoing Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa will hand over the “baton of command” to General Asim Munir, who was selected to become the new army chief by Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif on November 24.

    General Asim Munir will be the 17th army chief to assume the command of the Pakistan Army.

    Former military leadership will also participate in the function at General HeadQuaters (GHQ).

    General Qamar Javed Bajwa called on President Arif Alvi to for his farewell as the 16th COAS at the President’s House.

    Later in the day, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met the COAS in his office for the farewell visit before hosting a luncheon in his honour.

  • ‘Decision to become apolitical led to personal criticism’; Gen Bajwa addresses backlash in rare interview

    ‘Decision to become apolitical led to personal criticism’; Gen Bajwa addresses backlash in rare interview

    The outgoing Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Qamar Javed Bajwa, has addressed the backlash he and his institute have faced in recent months in a rare interview.

    Talking to the United Arab Emirates based Gulf News, General Bajwa said that the army’s decision to become apolitical is “being viewed as negative by a segment of society and led to personal criticism”. However, he doubled down on the decision, emphasizing that restricting the armed forces to it’s mandated constitutional role will, “facilitate in reinvigorating and strengthening democratic culture, assist in supporting state organs to effectively perform and deliver. Above all, this decision will help enhance army’s prestige in the long term.”

    General Bajwa, who has less than two days left in his tenure, stated that he felt it prudent to “shield Pakistan Army from the vagaries of politics in Pakistan,” adding that public support for the institution goes down when the military is seen to be involved in political affairs.

    Without naming either Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) or its Chairman Imran Khan, who has criticized the army for becoming “neutral,” General Bajwa again talked about the “undue vilification” of the army. “Despite some criticism and undue vilification of the armed forces through mass propaganda and meticulously crafted false narratives, the institutional resolve to remain apolitical will remain steadfast,” he told Gulf News.

    Talking about Pakistan’s relations with Middle Eastern countries, the COAS predicted that the country will have a “robust and broad-based” relationship with Arab nations.

    The army chief also discussed the challenges that Pakistan faces, citing it’s “delicate position” in balancing it’s relationships with both all-weather friend China and the West. General Bajwa also cited the western border with Afghanistan as “volatile” but added that the violence has reduced after US withdrawal and provided a “modicum of stability”.

    However the COAS also mentioned “economic frailty” as a major challenge, remarking that it tends to “exacerbate other issues concerning human security such as health, education, access to food and clean water, and mitigating threats posed by climate change.”

    At the end, the Chief gave out a message to the country’s youth. “The youth must also ensure that they are shielded from divisive propaganda and information warfare that seeks to polarise our society and erode mutual trust. Pakistan should always come first — before any other marker of identity,” he remarked.

  • DG ISPR and 11 others promoted to lieutenant general

    DG ISPR and 11 others promoted to lieutenant general

    Director General (DG) Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Major General Babar Iftikhar, has been promoted to the rank of lieutenant general, the ISPR announced on Tuesday (today).

    Maj Gen Babar Iftikhar is presently serving as the ISPR Director General, a post he has held since January 2020.

    Major General Inam Haider Malik, Major General Fayyaz Hussain Shah, Major General Nauman Zakria, Major General Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, Major General Ayman Bilal Safdar, Major General Ahsan Gulrez, Major General Syed Aamer Raza, Major General Shahid Imtiaz, Major General Muhammad Munir Afsar, Major General Yousaf Jamal, and Major General Kashif Nazir have also been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General.

    In August, Lt Gen Faiz Hameed was appointed the Corps Commander, Bahawalpur. Lt Gen Sardar Hassan Azhar Hayat replaced him as the new Corps Commander, Peshawar.

    The same month, Lt Gen Asif Ghafoor was appointed as the Commander XII Corps (Quetta), replacing Lt Gen Sarfraz Ali, who was martyred in a helicopter crash during flood relief operations in Balochistan.

  • Pakistan Army contingent leaves for Qatar to provide assistance during FIFA 2022

    Pakistan Army contingent leaves for Qatar to provide assistance during FIFA 2022

    A contingent of the Pakistan Army left for Qatar on Monday to join security personnel deployed for Federation International de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup 2022.

    The contingent is comprised of Pakistan Army officers, junior commissioned officers, and soldiers. They will provide security assistance during the biggest and most anticipated sporting event of the year.

    The troops travelling to the Gulf country for World Cup 2022 were trained by FIFA’s eight-member international team when it visited Pakistan in September.

    The Qatari interior ministry had made a request to send Pakistan Army for security assistance.

    The FIFA World Cup 2022 will be played from November 20 to December 18. Qatar will become the first Middle Eastern country to host the FIFA World Cup.

  • President Alvi advises politicians not to discuss the army

    President Alvi advises politicians not to discuss the army

    President Arif Alvi on Friday, August 12, stressed against making the Pakistan Army “controversial”. He made these remarks in connection to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Dr Shahbaz Gill’s comments about the establishment.

    “Time and again, I have been telling politicians not to bring the armed forces under discussion,” said the president, adding that it was the armed forces’ job to win the battle against terrorism; they should be respected.

    It is pertinent to mention here that Gill was arrested on August 9 for inciting the public against state institutions.

    The president, addressing all stakeholders of the country, said that the situation “was not ideal” and that it was crucial for politicians to sit at the talking table.

    “Politicians are not sitting together at the talking table; they have to unite. If I don’t see the situation getting better, I will ask them to sit at the table. As the president, I can only ask, not order,” Alvi noted.

  • Six army personnel martyred in Balochistan helicopter crash

    Six army personnel martyred in Balochistan helicopter crash

    The wreckage of a Pakistan Army aviation helicopter that went missing in Balochistan yesterday has been found and all six Pakistan Army personnel on board have embraced martyrdom, confirmed the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) today. A Pakistan Army aviation helicopter on a flood relief operation in Lasbela, Balochistan, went missing on Monday at 5:30pm when it lost contact with the air traffic control (ATC).

    “Accident occurred due to bad weather as per initial investigations,” said the ISPR statement.

    ‘Will remain eternally indebted to these sons of soil‘: PM Shehbaz Sharif

    Following the news, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep grief and sorrow over the martyrdom of six army personnel.

    “Nation is deeply grieved on the martyrdom of Lt. General Sarfraz Ali & 5 other officers of Pakistan Army. They were doing a sacred duty of providing relief to flood affectees. Will remain eternally indebted to these sons of soil.”

    About Lieutenant General Sarfraz Ali who lost his life, PM Shehbaz said that “he was an excellent professional, dutiful and capable officer, very honest and a good human being”.

    PM Shehbaz extended his condolences to the bereaved families of the six martyrs.

    Martyrs who lost their lives while serving Pakistan

    Commander XII Corps Lt Gen Sarfraz Ali

    Lieutenant General Sarfraz Ali was supervising the flood relief operations in Balochistan when the helicopter crashed yesterday. In 2020, Gen Sarfraz Ali, who was serving as a Major-General, was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-General. Following his promotion, he was posted as the Corps Commander of XII Corps, which is also known as the Southern Command, in 2021.

    General Sarfraz was one of the contenders interviewed by former prime minister Imran Khan for the post of director General Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in October last year.

    Before his posting to the Quetta Corps, he served as the inspector general of the Frontier Corps in South Balochistan He had also served as defence attache at the Pakistani embassy in the United States (US).

    Brigadier Amjad Hanif

    Pakistan Coast Guard Director General Brigadier Amjad Hanif Satti was also on board.

    Brigadier Muhummad Khalid

    Brig Muhummad Khalid was also accompanying the army officers.

    Major Saeed Ahmed

    Major Syed was the pilot of the helicopter.

    Major M. Talha Manan

    Major Talha Manan was the co-pilot of the helicopter.

    Naik Mudassir Fayyaz

    Naik Mudassir embraced martyrdom along with others.

    PM Shehbaz telephonic conversation with COAS Gen Bajwa

    Earlier in the day, it was reported that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed concern over the then-missing Pakistan Army aviation helicopter during his telephonic conversation with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa. 

  • Balochistan floods: 136 people dead, 13,000 homes damaged

    Balochistan floods: 136 people dead, 13,000 homes damaged

    At least 136 people have been killed in flash floods in Balochistan triggered by heavy monsoon rains.

    According to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), flash floods have also damaged about 13,000 homes.

    The federal government has announced Rs1 million worth of assistance for every household of the deceased in Balochistan flash floods. Flood relief efforts are also being carried out in Balochistan and other areas of the country, with assistance from military rescuers.

    Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Quddus Bizenjo has said that the federal and provincial governments are committed to completely rehabilitating flood-affected people in the province.

    In a statement on Sunday, he also lauded the role of the Pakistan Army in relief and rescue activities.

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will visit the flood-affected areas of Balochistan today. He visited Jhal Magsi on Saturday.

  • Govt approves 6 per cent hike in defence budget to mitigate impact of inflation

    Govt approves 6 per cent hike in defence budget to mitigate impact of inflation

    The government boosted the defence budget for the current fiscal year by nearly 6 per cent to more than Rs1.45 trillion on June 4 in order to cater the demands of the military services, along with increase in their salaries.

    As per a report from The Express Tribune, the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet okayed an additional Rs80 billion in auxiliary grants, bringing the total approved to Rs182 billion. The Ministry of Defence had requested an additional Rs80 billion for “critical shortfalls” in the defence budget, in addition to budget revisions for expenses on the Jinnah Naval Base, the Naval Base Turbat, and the multi-functional office building in the headquarters.

    Miftah Ismail, Federal Minister of Finance, chaired the ECC meeting, which endorsed a Rs80 billion supplementary budget for the armed forces, or the amount of total expenditures incurred. The ministry of finance projected that extra spending in fiscal year 2021-22, which ends on June 30, would be less than Rs80 billion.

    The National Assembly approved an Rs1.373 trillion defence budget for the present fiscal year in 2021. Keeping in view the increase in the spending ceiling, the next fiscal year’s defence budget could be greater than the previously estimated figure of more than Rs1.55 trillion.

    The Ministry of Defence received Rs153 billion in total, which is 11.8 per cent more in this fiscal year than in the previous year’s revised budget, which is identical to Pakistan’s average inflation rate. Defence spending will amount to 2.2 per cent of GDP, excluding armed forces development expenditures.

    The ECC also agreed to impose a 10 per cent regulatory duty on Chinese petrol imports in order to prevent abuse of bilateral free trade agreements. Some oil marketing companies rerouted their imports through China in order to avoid paying 10 per cent customs duty.

    For fiscal year (FY) 2021–22, the Pakistan government had decided a defence budget of Rs1.37 trillion (USD8.78 billion). The allocation represented a 6.2 per cent increase over the initial 2020–21 defence budget of Rs1.29 trillion.

    The defence budget represented approximately 16 per cent of the government’s total expenditure for 2021–22, and it was announced against the backdrop of Pakistan’s improving economy. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the country’s GDP is expected to rise by nearly 4 per cent in 2020–21.

    The majority of Pakistan’s defence budget goes to defence services, with a small portion going to defence administration. Employee-related expenses are the largest expenditure in the former appropriation, receiving Rs481.6 billion in 2021–22, a 1 per cent increase year on year.

    The graph below compares how much money the nation spent on defence:

    Here’s a comparison of the national and army budgets as it grows over time:

    The graph depicts how little Pakistan has spent on defence than India. Pakistan’s defence spending is not even close to India’s:

    As shown in the graph below, Pakistan is still among the countries that spend far less than others:

    The graph below demonstrates the average spending of the United States, Saudi Arabia, India, Iran, and Pakistan, which is significantly less than what Iran spends on each soldier:

  • FIA picks up 24 over social media campaign against Pak Army

    FIA picks up 24 over social media campaign against Pak Army

    The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested more 24 persons on charges of launching a smear campaign on social media against the Pakistan Army. According to officials, the arrests were made during raids conducted in 11 cities.

    According to the FIA officers, the arrested people have been accused of initiating a “hate trend” against Pakistan Army on Twitter. Until now, 19 people have been charged under various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and Pakistan Electronic Crime Prevention Act  (PECA) for unleashing a smear campaign against the Army on social media.

    On Monday, the FIA carried out raids in various cities including Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad to arrest people who were behind targetting Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa and the Army.

    According to media reports, the cases will be heard by the authority concerned under the anti-terrorism laws. All cases have been shifted from the cyber crime wing to the anti-terrorism wing.

    The Counter-Terrorism Wing Director Humayun Sindhu is leading the investigation process under anti-terrorism laws.

    On April 12, FIA arrested six people under similar charges to propagate a propaganda campaign against COAS and Army across the social media.